1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to capturing species from samples and to assay procedures involving said species.
The term "species" is used herein generally to denote any material, organism or substance having specific characteristics and not in the taxonomic sense of the word, except where this is explicitly indicated.
Whilst the invention is of broad applicability, it is of particular relevance to the detection of micro-organisms.
2. Description of Related Art
In Patent Co-operation Application PCT/GB95/01056, as yet unpublished, we described a method of capturing a species from a sample by specific binding of the species to particles previously captured to a solid support by magnetic attraction. Examples of such particles were magnetic, antibody coated, plastics microparticles. It was indicated that species captured to such magnetically attractable particles could be assayed before or after removal from the solid support. Examples of assay techniques practised after removal of the particles from the solid support included immuno-fluorescent staining.